Fire Prevention Week

Nelson Fire and Rescue has a history of strong Fire Prevention Week programs, winning several awards over the decades. (Drop by for a visit and we'll show you the trophy case!)

Fire Prevention Week (October 8 to 14, 2017)

This is a public education event held across North America, every year. This years focus is :“Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” and it is so important. It reinforces why everyone needs to have an escape plan.

Smoke Alarms

Drop by the fire hall (or check out Fire Prevention Week) to learn more. One of the best ways to protect your family is to ensure you have at least one working smoke alarm in your home. Test yours today and if the battery is more than a year old, replace it. If the alarm itself is older than 10 years, replace the whole alarm (even if it's one of the hard-wired types). Smoke alarms lose sensitivity over time and after 10 years of service, most will be 30% slower to react to a fire than a new one.

Home Visits

"So why is the Fire Dept knocking on my door?" During Fire Prevention Week, we will be visiting homes in select areas of Nelson, in part to help citizens check their smoke alarms, but also to answer any questions they may have may have about the FireSmart program (wildfire preparedness) or general fire safety. If we dont get to your house during the week, but you would like us to come by, contact our office. We'll do what we can to help you out (replacing an alarm, for instance) and answer any questions you have.

Nelson Junior Fire Inspectors Survey Form

Parents may recognize the Nelson Junior Fire Inspectors Survey form (PDF) as the same one brought home in years past, from Nelson schools. By completing the safety survey and returning it to school or the Nelson fire hall, participants will be helping us both reinforce and determine the effectiveness of our safety messages. Completed forms may be brought in to the hall, sent via Canada Post mail, or email to Fire Content. All entries need to be in by Oct 27, 2017.

I Wanna Be Fire Chief for a Day

"I Wanna Be Fire Chief for a Day!" Great! Pay attention when the fire department visits your school in October and you'll learn how you might win this honour. Students will be asked to make a drawing of their home, showing ideal locations for smoke alarms. Of those who submit plans (complete with name, grade, and school) prior to October 27th, a winner will be selected. Hard copies of the entries can be dropped off at the fire hall, or email Fire Contest. Again, I’ll need them all by October 27, 2017, at 5 p.m. Please note that I’d rather not have the “Fire Chief/Smoke Alarm” plans submitted on the same piece of paper as the Junior Fire Investigators forms, as one would violate the important anonymity of the other. They can, however, both be submitted at the same time.

Online Materials & Educational Information

Free Smoke Alarm or Free Pizza

Our department is also working with Panago's Pizza in another Fire Prevention Week contest. Between October 11th and the 17th (the week after our in-home visits, mentioned above) , if your Panago delivery is accompanied by a member of the fire department, you may win your entire order! Simply prove you have a properly mounted working smoke alarm in your home and the order is free. If you don't have a working alarm, we will give you one and tell you how to properly mount it in place. Either way, you win!

Building Owners

As of May 1, 2010, the B.C. Fire Code requires every dwelling, whether owned or rented and regardless of age, to have a properly maintained smoke alarm. It is up to the building owner to supply the alarm (or detector, if a unified system is in place), and it is up to those living in the home to ensure that it functions properly.

Alarms 10 years old or greater must be replaced, as they lose sensitivity over time. Some alarms must be replaced sooner (see manufacturer's information for details).

Residents

To ensure your alarm will work when needed, test it monthly and replace the battery at least once per year. Use a vacuum to clean it out once a year, as the insects which invariably wind up inside often cause false alarms.